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With so many bland copycat machines crowding driveways and freeways alike, it’s refreshing to see an automotive giant like Ford prioritize design and heritage as much as it did with the 2002 Thunderbird. It was this iconic American design, along with a smooth ride, V-8 power, high-quality convertible top, and value-packed sticker price, that got it named the Motor Trend 2002 Car of the Year.

Winning the Golden Calipers results in automatic inclusion into our One-Year Test program, which gave us a genuine opportunity to log numerous road miles in this Torch Red two-seater. Somewhat unusual for a car entering our long-term fleet, this T-Bird came to us with over 9000 miles already on the odometer. Availability of Ford‘s new ‘Bird was thin, and not wanting to wait months to take delivery of a factory-fresh car, we agreed to accept one that had been around the block a few times. Prior to our delivery, Ford serviced the car and replaced the tires, effectively resetting the odometer to the extent possible.

Our Premium-model Thunderbird’s base price of $38,465 included red leather inserts on the bucket seats and a paint-matching porthole-window hardtop (a $2500 option on deluxe models). Also standard were 17-inch chromed alloy wheels, power folding top, a six-disc in-dash CD changer, and a five-speed automatic transmission. The only option was an $800 red interior accent package; add $530 for destination charges, and the bottom line just nipped the $40K mark at $39,795.

The T-Bird proved an excellent conversation starter everywhere it went. Nearly every editor made logbook entries about the questions and comments they received from perfect strangers while filling up the gas tank, parking, or simply backing out of their driveways. Some admirers just wanted to catch a closer glimpse, while others fired off remarks about its price, performance, and retro styling. The only common complaint was that the wheels’ design and finish looked cheap and didn’t measure up to the rest of the car.

While the exterior of our ‘Bird received many compliments in the logbook, the interior stirred considerable controversy among our staff. Some praised the high-quality materials, thoughtful color accents, and retro-look gauge cluster. Editor Stone wrote that he “loves that Ford didn’t short-sheet the aluminum trim; this is real aluminum, not aluma-look plastic.” On the other hand, some staffers speculated that Ford spent most of its design budget on the exterior styling, therefore having to skimp on the look and feel of the interior. Editor Sessions noted that, “it’s painfully evident that the interior got sloppy seconds from the Lincoln LS.” While it’s true that the dash, steering column, instrumentation, and center stack were borrowed from the LS, sharing parts is the only cost effective way to get certain products to market.

The seats, despite their bolstered appearance, offered little real support. One editor remarked that the vintage-looking buckets went well with the retro styling, but didn’t keep his bottom half from going numb on a four-hour trip.

Early in our T-Bird’s tenure, the in-dash CD changer became finicky. It would load discs, then refuse to eject them. A trip to the dealer resulted in removal of the unit and ejection of the discs manually. We also noted that the player operated at an unusually high temperature, resulting in hot-to-the-touch plastic discs when ejected.

Most of our staff felt that the standard 3.9-liter DOHC V-8 was a good choice for the car’s size and weight, providing a more-than-adequate 0-to-60-mph sprint of 7 seconds. The engine affords plenty of passing and merging power and can easily outgun the Honda Civic Si-driving teen next to you at the stoplight. We weren’t nearly as impressed with the transmission. Many editors noted a lack of smoothness during the 1-2 upshift and/or felt that most of the shifts were mushy. Editor Sessions wrote, “The tight torque converter makes lurch-free getaways difficult to achieve.” The ZF six-speed automatic currently used by Jaguar would mate to this engine and be a worthwhile upgrade.

For the most part, our T-Bird tooled around town minus its hardtop. Although we loved the look of the porthole top, we found it too much of a group-gathering effort to put it on or take it off. At least two people are needed to lift it, and it helps to have a third person to aid with positioning and scratch prevention as the top is lowered onto the car.

With the hardtop in place, the interior became cramped due to the low roofline. The tallish Sessions commented that “it’s difficult to see out of this car. I guess I’ll just have to put the top down and look over the windshield.” The top also creaked and groaned when the ‘Bird was driven around tight, slow turns. This is a sign that the chassis is flexing, which also showed up in the form of slight cowl shake over rough, uneven surfaces.

As the miles on the odometer began to accumulate, ride quality diminished. Freeway expansion joints caused the car to undulate, as if it were bouncing down the road. We suspected the rear shock dampers were worn out, so we headed to the dealer for assessment. They assured us nothing was wrong with the shocks and that the car was performing to spec. Despite the floaty ride, the T-Bird generated high cornering limits in our track tests.

Overall, we found our Thunderbird a competent, grand touring convertible. Despite our niggling, there’s no denying that it packs a ton of romantic appeal. It feels most at home cruising a boulevard or back-country road, top down, with good company at your side and cool tunes in the CD player.

That said, the Thunderbird is likely to go on hiatus, or disappear altogether, sometime after the 2005 model year (due to disappointing sales). This is true, even though horsepower went up last year, those early waiting lines at the dealership are long gone, and some of the bugs present in our early-production test unit have probably been exorcised. The T-Bird remains the only V-8-powered roadster you can buy for under, or anywhere near, $40 grand. If you want one, we’d say, “Why not!”

What’s New, Changed, DifferentWith the help of variable valve timing, 2003 T-Birds received a horsepower increase to 280; torque was bumped 19 pound-feet to 286. Traction control became standard, as did a five-speed manumatic SelectShift transmission. The 2003 model also benefits from a restyled gauge cluster. For 2004, the Thunderbird received a new selection of 17-inch wheels, restyled seats, and three new colors including Platinum Silver.

From the Logbook“I’m bothered by the shock damping up front. The car bounces all over the place reminding me of the way the original 1955 T-Bird felt. Ford seems to have designed high-beam headlights that don’t shine upwards above the plane of the hood, leaving the driver in the dark with no light in the line of sight when navigating an uphill canyon turn.”–Larry Crane

“The handling reminds me of a Chris Craft. Soft springs and even softer shocks give a motorboat ride that’s in keeping with the boulevard image Ford is going for. It’s a good thing the DEW98 platform (Jag S-Type, Lincoln LS, and 2005 Ford Mustang) has some decent structure to keep down the judders over bumps. Roll stiffness is actually quite good.”–Ron Sessions

“It really is the ultimate weekend getaway. With soft-sided luggage, two people can travel for a few days, but preferably in the summer with less bulky clothes.”–John Matthius

“Ford did a respectable–though hardly perfect–job in bringing this car icon back to life. It channels loads of charm from the original, yet works as a modern car that’s reasonably priced and useable every day. It knows what it is (a cruiser) and knows what it is not (a racer). The improvements made for 2003 and 2004 make it a much nicer piece, and I don’t understand why it’s not a stronger seller.”–Matt Stone

Horsepower

2002 Ford Thunderbird News and Reviews

In a world where most car commercials tout big savings, zer0-percent APR, and inflated highway fuel economy ratings, car commercials that don’t take themselves too seriously are not only a breath of fresh air, but are also welcome comedic relief between political campaign ads and commercials for indigestion aids.Today’s Thread of the Day comes from RWHP who asks, “What’s your…

With so many bland copycat machines crowding driveways and freeways alike, it's refreshing to see an automotive giant like Ford prioritize design and heritage as much as it did with the 2002 Thunderbird. It was this iconic American design, along with a smooth ride, V-8 power, high-quality convertible top, and value-packed sticker price, that got it named the Motor Trend…

After putting over 32,000 miles on the clock, we can certainly say the New Thunderbird is exactly what you'd expect, if you projected a '55 'Bird into the 21st century. There's good power from the 3.9-liter powerplant, but the suspension is a bit too wallowy for most of our sports-car-loving gang. The interior exudes open-air fun, but there's not much…

After putting over 32,000 miles on the clock, we can certainly say the New Thunderbird is exactly what you'd expect, if you projected a '55 'Bird into the 21st century. There's good power from the 3.9-liter powerplant, but the suspension is a bit too wallowy for most of our sports-car-loving gang. The interior exudes open-air fun, but there's not much…